


The Competition

by thegraeyone



Series: Competitionverse [1]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Corporate, Corporate Espionage, Hand Jobs, Industrial Illusions, Nipple Play, Other, Trans Character, non-binary duke devlin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-14
Updated: 2021-01-14
Packaged: 2021-03-18 12:00:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,930
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28742874
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thegraeyone/pseuds/thegraeyone
Summary: Seto Kaiba is used to the headache of dealing with Industrial Illusions and the anxiety their forced partnership brings. Things change when he's introduced to a new person there and starts a relationship that could, quite frankly, ruin everyone involved.An AU that's grown wildly out of control since its initial inception, in which Seto Kaiba and Duke Devlin are king and queen on opposite sides of a chessboard with no winner in sight.
Relationships: Kaiba Seto/Otogi Ryuuji | Duke Devlin
Series: Competitionverse [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2107272
Kudos: 2





	The Competition

**Author's Note:**

  * For [saggiclowns](https://archiveofourown.org/users/saggiclowns/gifts).



> Duke Devlin is non-binary and uses they/them pronouns.

Seto sighed as the elevator took him to the highest floor of the California Kaiba Corp offices. He checked his phone for the fifteenth time since the car dropped him off out front. The week long business trip was extended thanks to Industrial Illusions dragging their feet on their latest venture. They’d always come to Kaiba Corp for the technology side of their investments, thanks in no small part to their frontiering of game technology, but now they’d been courting the Germans for the project. He’d had to fly in to play nice with Industrial Illusion’s CEO, who turned out to not even be in the state when he’d arrived. A stalling tactic, he’d thought at first, but now as the week was coming to a close and he’d canceled his return flight, he worried Pegasus was playing a different tactic entirely.

A secretary had called this morning to set up a meeting before the end of day on Friday and the offices cleared. It meant Seto had thrown out his afternoon schedule so he could get this project back on the right track. Pegasus wouldn’t even offer an apology for his absence, and Seto had preemptively countered by running late. Let the old man wait an extra twenty minutes. What did he care? Pegasus liked to drag these things out anyway.

The elevator dinged as the doors opened, and he tucked his phone away. He fixed his sleeves as he approached his assistant’s desk, who had a nervous look to her. He was less familiar with his American employees, but his central staff remained vetted. Shinoda had the good sense to be Japanese born and fluent.

“Your Industrial Illusions appointment is here,” she said as she stood from her chair.

“I suppose I’ve kept him waiting long enough.” He reached for the door handle.

“It’s not--” she started, and he ignored her attempted warning as he stepped into the office. The door swung shut behind him.

Normally, Pegasus would be lounging on one of the couches that mirrored his office back in Japan, sipping a glass of wine he’d proferred from somewhere, or he’d be fiddling with the Kaiba Land memorabilia and prototype duel technology that decorated a corner of the room. Seto was surprised to find someone sitting in the chair that normally faced his desk, turned so they could see him as he entered. A pair of thin legs were stretched out, the heel of a pointed boot digging into the carpet, and that led up to a pair of narrow hips, accentuated by the flare of their red top, which made a clean and curved line across their chest. A blazer was pulled over, the shoulders clearly padded and flared. Clean hands painted a red color perched beneath a pointed chin, and dark tangles of black hair were pulled back into a tight ponytail. A pair of green eyes looked at him, and a red painted lip curled up in a smile.

“You must be Seto Kaiba,” the stranger said.

He stared at them as they stood. The movement swung the soft material of their shirt and gave their curls a bounce. The clothes leaned both masculine and feminine, leaving no obvious clues towards gender, no doubt their intent. They walked towards him, extending out a hand.

“You’re not Pegasus,” Seto finally managed to say as they approached. He didn’t complete the handshake.

They quirked their head. “You know, I get that a lot.”

A curveball, Seto decided. Pegasus thought he’d sensed weakness after Seto’s last visit to San Francisco. He couldn’t wait to laugh in his face about it. Instead, he brushed past the newcomer and went to his desk, dropping his briefcase at its feet.

“I won’t do business with anyone else,” he said. “I can’t trust his peons not to screw it up. If Pegasus wants his game made, he’ll have to talk to me about it directly.”

“Actually it’s my game.” They followed after him, spreading their hands on the glass of his desk as they stood in front of it. “And you haven’t even learned my name yet.”

He glanced up at them. The green of their eyes was overwhelming. “And you are?”

“Duke Devlin.” Their smile widened to show teeth, and despite their otherwise perfect white and round nature, the two front teeth left a gap. “You could wait for Pegasus to get back, if you wanted, but he hasn’t been in a very friendly mood lately. But I think your technology could perfectly translate to what I’m trying to do, and I don’t like to wait.”

“So you’ve stormed my office?”

“I made an appointment.” They tapped a nail against the glass. “But I can see you’re not interested. Luckily we’ve already got a line open with von Schroeder, so I won’t waste my time here. Thank you, Mr. Kaiba.”

Duke waited a moment before turning away, and Seto weighed his options. Industrial Illusions could turn to his competition, cutting him out of several important deals that kept his company in the green on this side of the hemisphere, potentially wrecking the licensing of his most popular game, and give him two enemies to now play against (though Pegasus had always counted). Or he could get chatted up for one afternoon.

“Sit,” he said. “I’d rather get this over with now. The absence of Pegasus is merely a bonus to the situation.”

They laughed as they sat back in the chair, pulling it closer to the desk. “I see what he meant about you.”

“What’s that?” Seto didn’t sit. Better to keep control over the conversation, and his extended height gave him an intimidation bonus.

They cleared their throat and adopted Pegasus’ foppish mannerisms. “‘Kaiba-boy is always so demanding, and often downright  _ cruel _ .’ He told me if I wanted to set up the meeting with you, I should prepare for war.”

His lips quirked up in a smile. “Is that all?”

“He did think you’d toss me right out.” They shrugged their thin shoulders. “I think he’ll be impressed with my progress.”

“You’ve yet to impress me,” Seto said, which wasn’t entirely true. He hadn’t tossed them out yet, a sure sign things were going well. “What is your game?”

They hurriedly picked up a wide canvas bag that slumped against the chair, removing several large concept pieces, including a game board and a few figures. They didn’t ask permission to drop them down on Seto’s desk before launching into their spiel. He watched unmoving as they explained the nature of their RPG, complete with customizable figures, and a more complex system for leveling players than an average game board had. It was a hybrid of sorts of the pen and paper role players and the easier entry tabletop games. Unblinking, he admired the tactility of it but noted the rules might be too stringent. They were clearly trying to market the D&D crowd and needed to offer more freedom. Pulling back control was something he’d struggled with more than once.

Duke finished their explanation and looked up at him with a wide smile. He finally uncrossed his arms and moved around the game board, picking up a minifig and holding it between two fingers. An elven wizard gestured to him.

“It’s complex,” he said. “Especially for Pegasus’ normal style.”

“Not more than a lot of board games,” they said, defensive, but they kept their easy look. “I’ve been playtesting it with a group online, and we’ve been enjoying it.”

“I didn’t say it was bad.” He set the figure down. “But Pegasus deals mostly in card games and collectibles. Longer staying power, fewer barriers to entry. You’ve been playtesting it online?”

“Well,” they started, but he didn’t need to hear more.

“Does Pegasus even know you’re developing this game?” he asked.

Duke tugged a strand of curly hair around their finger. He’d come around the other side of the desk and now stood less than a foot from them, close enough to smell the sweet shampoo they used. Their lip pulled back into a nervous smile, and they let the curl go so it bounded back over their eye.

“I mean,” they said with a slight roll of their shoulder that mimicked a shrug, “Pegasus knows pretty much everything, especially what goes down in his own company. He definitely knows I put together this meeting by now. I’ve shown him the concepts, but he’s never been very interested. You’re right, Industrial Illusions built itself on collectibles and licensed products, things that you and other companies pay a lot of money for the right to be a part of. But I’ve seen what Kaiba Corp can do.”

They dashed their hand over the game board, green eyes staring him down. “With a base concept and a few sprites, you’ve turned Duel Monsters into a phenomenon. And your development of virtual gaming? I’ve seen the play throughs at your parks, and I know you’re working on something new, something big. Pegasus is desperate to figure it out. He says you couldn’t have built what you have without his ideas, but I don’t think Industrial Illusions would be what it is without your products.”

“What you’re saying,” Seto said, not backing down from their gaze, “is that you’ve set up a false appointment in Pegasus’ name to sell me a game he hasn’t even approved.”

Their grin stretched wider. “It sounds bad when you say it like that.”

They held for a long breath, neither flinching away from the other. Seto had started sizing Duke up the moment they entered the room, but he now realized they’d started their analysis long before they’d ever met. They were playing a long game.

“Your idea has merit,” he said and turned to march around his chair. “You’re clearly looking for reach too.”

“I thought you’d like it.” They looked down at their creation with a warm look. “I told him too. I can’t believe he’s run off to court that stuffy German when you’re about to shake up the whole game.”

Seto started, and they winced as they realized what they’d said, the tip of their tongue pressing against their blunt teeth.

“Is that where Pegasus is?” Seto asked, calmly, but with the cold sharpness of a knife. “The coward couldn’t face me himself?”

They started gathering their things. “I really shouldn’t say. I think I just broke an NDA saying that.”

Seto’s teeth grit. Von Schroeder had been sniffing around his company over the past few years, but in recent months had amped up his game. Knowing he was having private conversations with Pegasus suddenly made the whole thing all the more precarious. He was setting up to release their next step in gaming technology, and he knew von Schroeder was looking to swoop it out from under him.

Duke placed the pieces back in their bag and paused, their eyes glancing to him. They pulled the strap across their chest and asked, “You don’t have any meetings after this, do you?”

Seto waited. They sighed.

“You should come with me,” they said and nodded their head towards the door. “Get a drink somewhere. You look like you could use a drink.”

“I have business to attend to,” he said.

“Yeah, I know.” They made the gesture again. “Which is why you should come with me. There’s a quiet spot near here. It’s a good place to chat.”

Seto considered this. “I’d think you’d get in some trouble for that.”

“Good news,” they said brightly. “I’m already going to get in trouble for this whole thing. Besides, you’re Seto Kaiba. I wanna buy you a drink just for that.”

The week was already a bust, and he’d made no plans this evening, anticipating leaving the second they were done here. Duke seemed particularly chatty as well. There was always something to learn from that.

“Alright,” he said. “Lead the way.”

Their smile brightened, and they hooked a finger at him before heading towards the door.

\---

The bar Duke brought them to was a small spot in North Beach, not far from San Francisco’s financial district. It was a change, Seto could admit. Usually business associates dragged him to Japantown or the more touristy areas, thinking he’d appreciate the sights. Duke drove him down the small stretch but didn’t bother pointing out the Beat Museum or the Hotel Boheme, rather exclaiming excitedly about the restaurants and small pastry shops. Despite the early hour, people were already congregating outside. Music poured out onto the street They parked in a garage, turned a few corners, and ended up in a restaurant that occupied a small corner, shaping the interior like a fat slice of pie. The interior was dark, the windows that looked out shaded, casting everything in a soft, almost green light. Seto appreciated the dim interior. His eyes tended to strain beneath bright lights, and thanks to the sun still being out, the place was quiet. Everything was wood, from the floor to the tables, making the sounds all the softer.

A menu was available, but Duke waved a hand at him, walking up to the bar and ordering two drinks. They returned with a short glass speared with a lemon slice and a cherry, and a martini glass filled with an orange liquid, topped with a lemon twist.

“I like to guess,” they said, pushing the martini glass to him. “Tell me what you think.”

He tasted it, and the sharp tang of citrus was offset by its sweetness. He nodded at Duke, who smiled widely.

“A gin and sin,” they said, and their lip curled up. “It felt like a you.”

“You seem to know a lot about me,” Seto said.

They shrugged, sipping their own drink. “You’re Seto Kaiba. If I don’t do due diligence, then that’s on me. Besides, we’re business partners.”

He raised an eyebrow in response to that. They smiled into their drink and added, “More or less.”

“You’re a very presumptuous person,” Seto said.

They snorted out a laugh. “I don’t give people a chance to say no. I’ve heard it too many times. Most people don’t like it. You don’t seem to mind.”

“I can appreciate it,” he said.

“Exactly.” They leaned forward, placing their chin in their palm. One leg crossed over the other, kicking their pointed boot. “You started so young. You built your company on ashes. It’s why I can’t believe Pegasus is considering breaking ties for von Schroeder of all people. He’s got his family’s money and all he’s done is chase your tail. You’re about to up your virtual technology, aren’t you?”

Seto frowned as he drank. “Who told you that?”

His latest release was kept under heavy wraps until they were ready to announce it. He needed it to be perfect.

Duke only shook their head. “I told you, Pegasus knows pretty much everything. He thinks with a push, von Schroeder can outwit you on this one, but what’s he going to come up with?”

Seto was grateful Duke didn’t need to be plied with much alcohol to share. Another drink might have them spilling all of Industrial Illusions’ coveted secrets.

“Industrial Illusions greatest achievement in the past year is building a popular phone game,” they said, only a little bitterly. “We’re stagnating over here. You’re only getting better.”

“It sounds,” Seto said, “like you’re looking to jump ship.”

For the first time, their smile dropped. They scraped their teeth across their red lips before downing the rest of their drink. They picked up the speared fruit, discarding the lemon into the glass and pulling the cherry by the stem. They put it between their teeth, matching the red of their lips, before they bit down and discarded the pit.

“I owe Pegasus a lot,” they said, voice quiet. “I was in a pretty bad place when he decided to pick up my first game. I want to see Industrial Illusions do great things. To be part of something big. And sometimes it’s so hard to figure out what the man is thinking.”

“All of the time,” Seto murmured into his drink.

They smiled at that. “I guess it’s harder when you’re not exactly on his team.”

“I’m not so sure about that,” he said. “When this is over, I’ll fly back to Japan, and I won’t lose sleep over him. You’re dependent.”

They hmmed to that and slid their empty glass away. “If we’re gonna continue on this train, I’m gonna need another drink. Can I refill you?”

Seto nodded, and in a few short minutes, they returned with two fresh drinks and a small charcuterie board of meats and cheeses. The food was a welcome relief to Seto’s stomach. He rarely kept a steady food schedule, and it was possible he hadn’t had anything since this morning.

“You know,” Duke said as they spread the brie onto a cracker. “You surprised me today.”

Seto picked at an olive. “You seemed so prepared.”

“Anyone else would’ve kicked me out,” they said. “They don’t give me the time of day unless Pegasus is in the room.”

“You shouldn’t sell yourself short,” Seto said.

They laughed. “I don’t! It’s everyone else who’s doing that. Not that many people in this line even think they’ve met a trans person, much less anyone who uses ‘funny’ pronouns.”

“But you’re clever.” Seto watched them clean a bit of cheese off their thumb with their teeth. “I don’t exactly make dinner dates with colleagues.”

They grinned, and the point of their boot brushed against his slacks. “No, you don’t. It’s why we haven’t met before. You should accept more dinner invites from Pegasus.”

Normally, the thought of spending more time than necessary in Pegasus’ company ranked below having each and every one of his teeth pulled without the anesthesia, but Seto only replied, “Maybe I will.”

They shifted to slide the blazer off their shoulders, leaving their arms exposed. The drink was doing its work despite the bit of food. Seto watched the motion brazenly, and despite the stony face he kept, he could feel heat at the tips of his ears. They draped it across the back of their seat and then turned to him, stretching an arm across the table to lightly touch his wrist.

“They say you never go out,” they continued, the tip of their nail pressing into the soft flesh. “You’re not in the tabloids. What does Seto Kaiba do for fun?”

“This is what I do,” he said. He stared down at the point of contact. They looked up at him with their green eyes. A lot more of him was feeling warm.

“Not everything can be about work all the time.” Their lips curled again, and his eyes traced their shape. “You’ve gotta have friends.”

When he said nothing, they inched closer. The sky had darkened outside, the evening lights of the restaurants turning on. Laughter sounded from the street, and music played distantly. Seto didn’t let himself move. Duke turned his hand over, fingers tracing against his palm.

“You and I can be friends,” they said. “Look out for each other. Maybe even have fun. You should know how to have fun. You run a gaming company after all.”

“I have,” he said, swallowing, “on occasion, enjoyed myself.”

They grinned. “I’m sensing a total party animal under there.”

Their smile was infectious. His own lips twitched up. “I’m doubtful.”

“I’ll just have to coax it out of you.” Their fingers didn’t stop moving. Seto’s entire vision was taken up by the green of their eyes and the red of their lips.

Seto was very aware that Duke was objectively attractive, and they’d clearly curated a look and a style that was meant to be appealing. Their face was clean and curved, and the brush of dark eyeshadow and the sharp stab of eyeliner made their bright eyes an inescapable vortex. While he’d been able to compartmentalize his attraction under the safety of work place appropriateness and code of conduct, they were moving far from work talk, and their touch was setting his skin ablaze. They were rapidly leaving the confines of safe conversation. Or they’d never really been. Duke had made the appointment under false pretenses. Seto had entertained it. They’d ended up here, in a quiet bar, away from prying eyes.

It was possible the trajectory of their engagement had been plotted long before the two met. Duke had researched him, after all. But Seto’s few objections to the thought slid away beneath the part of their lips and the tilt of their gaze.

“Another drink?” Duke asked, fingers still grazing his skin.

Seto looked at his own glass, emptied again. He should put a stop to this now. Duke was not some nobody met in the dimly lit clubs that dotted San Francisco. They were directly tied to his biggest headache and potentially his worst competition. If he chose to move forward on their game, they’d be a constant in his life, and their more clandestine meeting would move beneath the harsh fluorescents of their respective office buildings. Further communication would be awkward at best. Every trip to the coast would include the tendrils of dark hair across their face, the fluid easiness of their movements, and their smile.

“Another would be fine,” he said.

One more glass was placed in front of him. Duke sipped theirs, holding the glass from the top, so their fingers were stretched out.

“Are you still planning to leave?” they asked. “Once this meeting is over.”

His eyes went to the windows. Evening had descended fully, the neon lights chasing away any sign of stars. Pink and blue hues flashed against the concrete and the faces of the night time revelers. The party was just getting started outside.

“I suppose,” he said, “I could wait until morning.”

“I assume you’re staying someplace.” Their eyes watched him as they sipped their drink.

“I keep an apartment here,” he said.

“Fan- _ cy _ ,” they sang. “Don’t get me wrong, Pegasus pays good money, but I’m dying to see what kinda digs you got.”

He finished off his own drink. “It’s not very exciting.”

“You’ll have to give me the full tour.” They shrugged their shoulders again. “If you want to.”

They set down their drink, the cherry still floating in the clear vodka. He noted the receipt that they’d set it on, already buying out their tab. All they had to do was decide to leave.

Seto didn’t say anything as he stood. Duke’s gaze followed the length of his body as he rose, and then they pushed out their own chair, swinging the discarded blazer over their shoulder. Seto didn’t move as they stood in front of him, head lifted up. The height difference was more apparent now, with their heat simmering close, and their lips so far from his. If he wanted to bridge that gap, it’d taken an effort from him. He considered it. They waited a moment, like they expected him to, and then they only shook their head and turned. Once again, Seto let them lead the way.

The walk to the car and the drive to the high rise apartment were carried out in a tense silence. Since Duke removed their fingers from his palm, they’d not touched at all. The millimeters of space between them seemed to amp up that tension. Duke marveled at the tall building of luxury apartments as Seto directed them where to park, and they entered the elevator, their eyes lit up as he hit the button for the top floor.

“A penthouse,” they marveled. “I should’ve guessed.”

“I value my privacy,” he said.

“I can tell that.” They smiled at him. The numbers dinged higher. “I bet you don’t even use it most of the year.”

“Just when the California offices require my attention,” he said. And in the first week of July, and the last week of October. He certainly wasn’t going to spend his birthday alone.

The numbers finally stopped, and the doors slid open as Duke said, “I’ll have to give you a reason to visit more often.”

They stepped into the main foyer of the apartment. The place had been decorated without much input from Seto and so looked more like a picture from a magazine than any semblance of his personal taste. Decorated in blues and white, it looked as unused as Duke had surmised. The kitchen remained untouched except for a single box of leftovers soon to be discarded, and the TV and couch were ignored, as Seto favored doing his work in the small office to the side. The windows looked out over San Francisco, the Queen Anne style buildings and red brick were alight with yellow lights and brightly lit red signs. Duke strutted ahead to admire it as Seto discarded his own things on a side table and removed his shoes.

“Wow,” they said, turning around on him. “You really go all out, don’t you?”

“I’m known to.”

He stepped closer. Duke’s posture turned suddenly coy, their face tilting away. Without their blazers, the clean lines of their clothes were more obvious, making a sultry shape. They pulled at their hair tie, releasing their curls across their shoulders.

“You promised me a tour,” they said, turning back to him. They eased a hand along the tie he wore, loosening it when they came to the knot. Seto’s skin shuddered beneath their touch.

“There’s a few rooms,” he said. “I don’t know which one you’d be most interested in.”

“Did anyone ever tell you,” they said, winding the loosened tie around their fist, “how frustrating you can be?”

“Would you be surprised that the answer is yes?”

They laughed, pulling him down, and he captured that laugh in a singular kiss.

Seto pressed down hungrily against Duke’s lips and wasn’t surprised when they returned in full. Their lips parted to scrape their teeth along his bottom lip. He hissed as they pulled, and his hand clutched tight to the bare skin of their arm. They refused to sit still beneath him, laughing, wriggling, hands moving to undo the buttons of his shirt, mouth moving so he had to chase after them. Their fingers touched his bare skin, and he felt like a wax figurine touching flame. Their skin was heated, their mouth hot, but he was the one sweating.

“Your bed,” they gasped. Pulling back a fraction of an inch, he saw the mischievous look in their eyes. “Unless you had another place in mind.”

There was not a place in this apartment he couldn’t imagine decorating with their sweat and pleasured moans, but thanks to their height difference, and the fact that this was their first experience together, practicality suggested the bedroom was the optimal place to start.

He pulled them through the living room, and they giggled as they tripped after him, hands still clenched in the fabric of his shirt. Their bottom lip had smeared red, and Seto knew if he glimpsed himself in a mirror his own mouth would be smeared with it. The second they were through the door, Duke pounced again, drawing their arms around his shoulders with some effort. It unbalanced the both of them, and Seto landed with his back against the wide bed, the dark comforter rippling with the force of it. They settled on top of him, rolling their hips against his. They pulled his shirt open and peppered kisses along his collar. Seto bit back a groan.

“I wasn’t sure,” they said into his skin, spreading heat with every panted breath, “if you’d go for this. You seem so untouchable.”

“You’re touching me,” he groaned.

They paused to look at him, their green eyes so close. They drew their fingers through his dark hair, sending a shiver down his body. Slowly, they leaned down, pressing a single kiss to his nose.

“I want to touch you,” they said, moving to kiss the sharp edge of his cheekbone. “I want to find all the places you want to be touched. Can I do that for you?”

He nodded stiffly. They smiled, nipping his ear, and then they drew off of him so he could sit further up on the bed. With steady hands, they removed the shirt he wore, discarding it in a crumple on the side of the bed. Their hand was deft at unbuttoning his pants as they mouthed his neck. The first sign of teeth jolted him. Normally he’d bark and push the person away. Marking couldn’t be allowed, not for him to hold his status, to keep his iron lock on his own company. But as heated as Duke’s touch was, it was calming as well. He melted beneath them. His rigid self-control loosened. He couldn’t stop the sounds that escaped him as their fingers traced the lines of his chest, trailing down his arms, across his abdomen, touching his hips. As they pulled his pants off his legs, they pushed him down into the bedding and kissed his belly. Their curls fell over their shoulders, sending whisper touches across his groin. Seto was embarrassed to hear himself whine.

“You’re not being fair,” he said, digging his hands into the silky fabric of their tunic top. “You’ve got me exposed.”

“Maybe I’m leveling the playing field,” they said, their hand spreading down the length of his thigh. His erection twitched in anticipation. “After all, I’m relying on you.”

“I don’t think that’s true,” he said. “I think you’ve been in control this whole time.”

They leaned down so their dark hair was a curtain. Gently, they took Seto’s hand by the wrist and brought it up to kiss his palm. Their green eyes fluttered as they watched his body react.

“Are you complaining?” they asked.

“I only mean,” he said, pulling on the fabric, “that I want to see you. All of you.”

They grinned, letting his hand fall back to his chest. They sat back on their heels, knees spread, and they crossed their arms to pull the hem of their shirt before pausing.

“You could put on some music,” they said. “Make a real show out of it.”

“I don’t feel like waiting,” he said.

They laughed and pulled the shirt over their head, exposing the smooth skin underneath. The red fabric fell, like a shimmering incandescent curtain. They hooked their thumbs in the black fabric of their leggings and pulled it past their hips. Seto couldn’t stop himself as he saw the pale flesh peek out. He licked his lips. It was impossible for them not to notice. Their movements slowed as they drew the further down. Red laced underwear stretched across their skin. It confirmed Seto’s suspicions more than anything.

“Tell me again,” they said, their eyes watching.

Seto made a frustrated sound. Still, he couldn’t tear his gaze from where the fabric pulled, millimeter by agonizing millimeter.

“I want you,” he said.

They hummed disapproval. “Not very nice.”

He lifted himself up on his elbows, leaning over to press a single kiss to their knee. Looking up at them, he said, “Please. I want you. All of you.”

They grinned and stripped the leggings and underwear away, shifting closer to him once their cock was exposed. He reached a hand out to touch them, but they held his wrist, pushing him back onto the bed, and they kissed him, sweetly, as they positioned themselves over him. They weren’t quite touching yet. The heat of their thighs on either side of him and their small shape looming over was sending Seto reeling. They threatened to send him over the edge by doing nothing at all.

“I don’t think many people deny you what you want,” they said.

“No.” He stared up at them. They were like some baroque painting, framed with the light behind their curls, shadows falling across their face. The smile remained. He fought the urge to dig his hands into their skin and bring that smile crashing down on him. “I usually don’t give them the chance.”

They stooped over him, and he felt relief as their thin hand wrapped around his cock, making slow, careful strokes. Their own erection rubbed against him. His head rolled back, lips parting. Their movements picked up.

“Do you want to touch me?” they asked, pressing their lips beneath his jaw.

“Yes,” he gasped.

“Do you want me to touch you?”

He whined in response. When their hand slowed, he gave a strained, “Yes.”

That satisfied them enough to stroke him again. Their grin pressed against his throat. “Do you want me to fuck you?”

His hips rose to meet them, and their legs squeezed tighter to control his movements. His hands clawed in the fabric of the bed. His voice was heavy when he said, “ _ Yes _ .”

They laughed, high and quick, and in that moment he kissed them, releasing the sheets to hold their face and drag them down. They kept laughing as their hand moved on his hard cock, thumbing the slit to collect the precome in a move that made him moan. He was desperate for their friction, mindless for their touch. Their tongue stroked the roof of his mouth as he held tight onto them, but they drew away, repositioning so their own dick slid against his. Now pulling his legs up on either side of them, they thrusted against him as they mouthed his chest, taking special care to nibble at each of his nipples. Their tongue worked hard and fast against him, and he shuddered, moaned, bucked, squeezed, trying to minimize the distance between them as much as possible. One hand grasped in their hair and the other rending the blanket, he was completely at their mercy, unable to do anything but voice his satisfaction. As their own pleasured sounds built higher and higher, gasped into the heated swell of his chest, their motions went faster, sloppier. They grabbed him by the hip and rutted against him, guiding their shared erections with their other hand. They lifted up enough for him to see the way their shoulders shook, how their chest fell and rose with each gulp of air, how their curls flew as their head rolled. Their lips parted desperately, and that tongue pressed against their teeth.

Their eyes opened to look at him just as the motions were reaching their crescendo. Seto could only guess how he looked with head back, face red, and every thrust met with a moan. He didn’t know if his lips were red and the skin where they’d marked him raw. He only knew that gaze was on him, and as he came they watched, eyes alight, attention rapt, hands never faltering. He thought maybe his own pleasure was what finally sent them over the edge, because they came only a few moments after he did, and their sudden combined ejaculate spread warm and sticky across his abdomen in a way that was more than satisfying. With the release, he collapsed back, limbs turning to gelatin and heart pounding in his chest. Duke didn’t move, only took in the sight of him with heavy lidded eyes.

Finally they drew off of him, falling to his side. They squirmed on the bedspread, stretching their limbs out like a satisfied house cat.

“This bed is amazing,” they said. “I could sleep in this every night.”

Despite his eyes closing as his lungs measured steady air again, Seto didn’t miss the implication. He reached a lazy hand out, clasping it to their skin. They rolled over to him, bringing his hand up.

“Oh don’t tell me you’re tired already.” They pressed his knuckle to their chin. “That was only round one.”

He should clean himself off before he let his eyes fall shut, but Seto felt comfortable and warm. He said, “I’m only resting.”

“I’m so sure.” They kissed his hand and let it loose. “Do you have a bathroom?”

He gestured lazily to a door and felt their weight leave the mattress. Their footsteps padded to the master bath, followed by a light rummaging sound, and then running water. They returned a minute later with a warm washcloth. He shuddered when it touched his skin, but he didn’t move any more than that as they cleaned him. When the towel withdrew, they traced their finger along the lines in his skin before getting up to discard it.

“I spent all day fantasizing about this,” they said as they got back into bed with him. Their voice was soft from where it rested against his ear. He could feel their heat across his side, the curls of their hair dancing across his skin like a thousand kisses. “I think I deserve a little more satisfaction.”

His eyes creaked open, and his vision was overtaken by their expression. The green eyes watching him, the curving smile.

“I’m not done with you yet,” he promised.

They grinned. “You better not be.”

They kissed him, and then kissed him again. Their hand danced across his skin. It lulled him back to sleep. He felt the covers draw over him, felt Duke cuddle closer, felt their heat trapped against his skin. Their arms drew protectively across his chest.

“We’ll have time,” they promised and kissed his cheek goodnight.

\---

Seto awoke at an odd hour, feeling disoriented in his own bed. The lights were dark, with only a thin blue glow peeking out from the blinds. It took him a moment to remember everything that had transpired the previous evening, but it came back to him in rolling waves. He was still naked and thankfully avoided any unsettling crustiness thanks to his bedfellow. Rolling over, he hoped to initiate that round two they had promised, only to find himself alone.

It was not a strange sensation. Seto spent most of his time alone. But Duke had seemed adamant about their continued engagement, and he found himself disappointed. Slowly, he rose from bed, flicking on the lamp. He paused as he saw the crumpled pile of clothes at the bedside. Duke’s shirt remained, a violent swath of red against the cool darks of his apartment. He listened for sounds in the apartment. The master bath was dark. The door was slightly ajar. In the distance, he could make out the softest murmur.

He stood, gathering a robe, and he trekked out into the darkened apartment. The living room was awash in the red neons outside. The guest room remained closed, the shared bathroom likewise, but his office door was pushed slightly open. A voice carried from there, indistinct. He could see the glow of a phone screen against the wall.

“I won’t,” Duke was saying, irritation leaking into their voice, and they added quickly, “I’m  _ not _ . I’ll have everything ready for you by the time you get back.”

A voice spoke on the other end. Seto could barely hear it. Duke gave a farewell, and he heard their sigh before they set the phone on his desk. He pushed open the door and flicked on the light.

“Fuck!” they shouted as they jumped away from the desk. They were wearing Seto’s button up drawn across their chest, the leggings hastily pulled on. Their hair was a mass of unruly curls. They scrambled for their phone, drawing it close.

“You scared the shit out of me,” they said. “I thought you were asleep.”

Seto glanced around the room. The bookshelf of items was undisturbed, and his laptop was upright but turned off. The chair was pushed out. They gave him a wary look before glancing at their phone to check the time.

“You were talking to someone,” he said.

They rolled their eyes, extending the clock out to him. It was only one in the morning.

“It’s morning in Berlin,” they said. “No rest for the wicked. Pegasus thinks I should spend my Friday nights working on reports for him.”

Seto didn’t look away from them. “If you need to leave.”

“No,” they said quickly and jumped to his side. They smiled up at him. “No way. I was worried, you know? You knocked right out.”

“I never sleep very long,” he said.

“I see that now.” They set their phone back down, taking his hand in theirs. “You owe me anyway.”

He raised a brow. “Do I?”

“Well.” They glanced down the length of his body, and their tongue traced the top of their lip. “You won’t have to do much. Just a few more things I’d like crossed off my list. Should we take it back to the bedroom, or did you maybe want to try somewhere else?” They stepped back so they were leaning on the desk. “Because I can think of a few more fantasies to add if that’s the case.”

His body twinged as he considered them carefully. They really were appealing, one leg sliding apart, their improvised outfit only making their arousal more noticeable.

“I think,” he said, moving closer, “we can make some of those dreams come true.”

Their eyes lit up as they tugged him in for another kiss. As their eyes shuttered close, Seto’s drew to the phone they’d left out, his suspicions growing. But, as his hands clawed to shed them of their clothes, he knew they were both playing the long game. After all, it was best to keep his friends close, and while he still didn’t know if Duke counted, it was better to keep his enemies closer.

**Author's Note:**

> I am almost always embarrassed to post any kind of explicit material but this AU's gotten too good for me to keep under wraps any longer. Prepare for a lot of me bullshitting my way through any kind of business discussion. I'm going to spend a lot more time researching the best place to go on a date in San Francisco.


End file.
